by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 9:00 AM ET, Fri March 22, 2024
Viking celebrated the floating out of its newest purpose-built ship for the Nile River, the Viking Hathor, which is expected to debut this August.
The float out is a key construction milestone in shipbuilding and is the first time the ship touches water. The 82-guest river ship is being built at the Massara shipyard in Cairo and will now undergo its final stages of construction.
Viking Hathor offers 41 staterooms and room for 82 guests. It’s the identical sister ship to the Viking Osiris and Viking Aton, complete with its square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace. Viking Hathor is the fifth Nile-specific ship in Viking’s fleet. The Viking Sobek will be the sixth in the fleet and is expected to debut in 2025.
The ship will sail the line’s 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary, which begins with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo. There, travelers will visit the Great Pyramids, the necropolis of Sakkara, the Mosque of Mohammad Ali and the Grand Egyptian Museum. A short flight takes travelers to Luxor, where they’ll visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before embarking on the cruise portion.
The cruise is an 8-day roundtrip cruise visiting the Valley of the Queens and the Valley of the Kings, several other temples, including Abu Simbel, and a visit to a Nubian village. The journey ends back in Cairo, where travelers have one night before their departure.
"Egypt is a phenomenal destination, and we are pleased with the continued interest in our Nile River voyages. Our guests are thinking people who are curious about the world—and Egypt, with its cultural treasures and ancient antiquities, remains at the top of the travel list for many of them," said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. "With the float out of the Viking Hathor, we look forward to welcoming more guests to experience this fantastic region."
Travelers can also extend their trip with optional pre- and post-extension options. The 5-day British Collections of Ancient Egypt extension is a pre-cruise trip that begins in London, where they’ll receive access to a private visit to the Egyptian Collection at the British Museum and a visit to the home and personal museum of Sir John Sloane. Guests will also visit several other museums featuring Egyptian artifacts.
There’s also an optional 3-night pre-cruise extension in Istanbul and a 4-night post-cruise extension to Jordan, visiting Petra and the Dead Sea.
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